Amber Tamblyn Criticized For Complaint About Hasidic Jews

ActressAmber Tamblynfaces backlash after Tweeting that Hasidic Jews in New York City are targeting her.

The former “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” star wrote Sunday that a Hasidic man in a van attempted to hit her in Brooklyn as she pushedher babyin a stroller.

If anyone in Brooklyn near the intersection of Washington Ave and Atlantic Ave just saw a Hasidic man in a grey van try to hit a woman and her baby in a stroller as she crossed a crosswalk, honking and touching the stroller with the car’s bumper, please DM me. That woman was me.

But it was her follow-up post that sparked the controversy. Tamblyn wrote that “this is not the first time a man from the Hasidic community in NYC has attempted to harm me or other women I know. Any woman riding a bike through South Williamsburg can attest.”

Thank you everyone for your kind words of support today. We are fine. But this is not the first time a man from the Hasidic community in NYC has attempted to harm me or other women I know. Any woman riding a bike through South Williamsburg can attest. I hope this guy is caught.

Whilesomepeople on Twitter agreed with her, others interpreted her complaint as an unnecessary generalized attack on Hasidic Jews.

Hey@ambertamblynthis seems really scary! Unfortunately, linking it to a whole group that already has a hard time is also scary. The trouble is referencing a 'community' versus individuals. Note the 'they' versus 'our'/'us' convo that has ensued. Please consider. Best wishes 💚

I follow you on here and fb but like...I hope you see how cringeworthy that kind of comment would be about *any* other ethnic / religious group. I have issues with the restrictions in Hasidim and Orthodoxy but to make such sweeping generalizations....cmon. Let’s do better?

The actress defended herself in a tweet of support to a man who said thathe, too, had been targeted by Hasidic Jews. Tamblyn, whose husband, actor David Cross,was raised Jewish, wrote she “will not be bullied or intimidated by anyone who wants to twist my words.”

I’m so sorry to hear this, Benjamin. And I completely agree with you here and will not be silenced or bullied or intimidated by anyone who wants to twist my words into anything other than what it is.